The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-19
FOREST HILL DISASTER
TaR EXAMINATION INTO THE
CAUSE
OF the wreck COntinues-A VIII cas-
beelarcs He Anticipated tho
Aifahap.
IarrorAL 70 RE ArrrAL.i

BoeroN. MASS, March l8-The
Railroad Commits ;ioners resumed their
investigation OF the Bussey bridge
disaster today. Henry o. Allen, Of
West Roxbury, said he had gone over
the bridge daily. About year ago he
was informed that certain bolts on the
bridge were loose and be so informed
Superlntsn dent Folsom, who said he
would attend to it. He never noticed
any swayiDg or jsrring while crossing
the bridge. Generally the train was
slackened up.
Theodore S. Moses, for forty years q
civil engineer, had known this bridge
since it's construction. Ho regarded
tho whole structure as q mechanical
defcrmity. 1. was peculiar in build,
aud he thought 1t 80 dangerous thet II
there was any derailment of cara some
thing of this sort would happen, and
within two weeks had spoken to Geo.
Folsom, suggesting that he should
place some barrier to protect III on the
side. The bridge might have been
IN ide mere secure by putting 1t at
right angles with the road.
James X. Reed described the actions
Of the hind car, which he occupied a..
the time OF the accident. The first
sensation was like that felt when a
horss car was of the track. The rear
Do ton OF the car seemed to be bump
Ing all the time. The forward end OF
the car had crossed the bridge, when
he heard snap, and looked out to zee
II the couplings were intact. They
vera. There was nothing unusual In
the car until 1t was over the bridge.
He could not tell where the sound OF
the snap came from. II was like the
swapping of piece Of steel. Rudolph
Wilmer, of Roslindale, was In the &C.
ond car. He noticed no jarring until
the car wss over the bridge. II seemed
as II the car had gone ahead and left
the track behind. Henry Shaw, q
mechanical engineer, had been going
over the bridge ever since II was built.
He had some doubts about II, owing
to the late vibrations which he noticed
every time he went over it.
Superintendent Folsom explained
the system OF inspection OF cars aud oil
repairing rolling stock. He rode over
the bridge great many times and
never had the slightest suspicion OF Its
stability. The bridge was severely
tasted when II was built.
Here the chairman put In letter
from the Railroad Commissioners Ia
Superintendent Folsom, dated Decem'
Der, 1881. chasing among defective
bridges the one over South street
while II calls attention to other bridges
considered to b, poor structures.
Witness salo he received the letter
In December, 1881, and the bridge was
tested in January, 1889. No tests oil
that character had been made since
He made no alterations in the bridge
after receiving the nolioe from tn,
Commissioners, and did not put OIL
any add tional guard rails, and would
never put on any II he had his way
abJut IL. He had never received re
port OF the unssfeness OF the bridge
other than the report about the mics
ing nuts.
The fireman Of the wrecked train
Alfred Is. Billing, testified that he
did not notice anything wrong unit
the Boston end of tho bridge wa
reached. Then no felt shock tina
nearly threw him of his feet and hearC
loud snap He raised up and locke,
back and saw the engine had broker
apart from the forward car and wa
running away from it. He though
the engine parted from the car ate
passing the abutment. Witnes
thought the bridge caused the aCci
dsnt, Adjourned,